


Choices

by inheritanceofgeek



Series: Parenthood does wonders for you, Darling [1]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Discussion of Abortion, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Kid Fic, Post-Vecna, Pregnancy, Sehanine is the goddess of planned parenthood don't question me about this, unapologetic baby fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-20
Updated: 2017-08-20
Packaged: 2018-12-17 19:56:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11858592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inheritanceofgeek/pseuds/inheritanceofgeek
Summary: After six years of marriage and four years of peace, Vex'ahlia and Percival decide that it's time to talk about children again.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Everything has been so intense and worrisome in Canon of late, that I needed to write some fluff to let me know that everything is going to be okay for these guys. Even if Vax is dead, things will still be alright for these guys... 
> 
> I'm an unapologetic lover of kid fic and baby fic so here is my offering to you all in the hope it'll give you some peace of mind too.

They’d spoken about children when they’d first got married, of course they had. They at least knew they both wanted them, of that part they were certain. It wasn't because of some bizarre desire to continue on a legacy that had existed years before they had, nor because it was just the expected thing for married couples to do. Vex'ahlia in particular had certainly always turned her nose up at that which was expected of her. No, what is was was the idea of being able to raise a family of their own, bside Vox Machina of course. The halls of Whitestone had been quiet for so long, they ached for the laughter of children again. There were hidding places still yet to be re-discovered by small hands and secret tunnels to the kitchens that were perfect for forbidden midnight feasts. There were scoldings to be given, secrets to be shared and a whole history of firsts that needed to be repeated. 

What would Whitestone be, without the gentle soothing sounds of older siblings as they helped patch up their younger ones when they’d fallen over, and younger ones threatening to tell their parents that it was  _ them _ who pushed them over in the first place. 

Their children would have a little of each of them: Percy's wit and Vex'ahlia’s shrewdness, his talent for mechanics and hers for numbers. A person who could get into far more trouble than either of them could ever dream of! Though nothing to do with dragons or evil gods, please Pelor let that not be the fate of their children too…

Because that was what was holding them back in all of this. They’d both been through so much, and every time it seemed the world had turned back to normal, something else would crop up again and send them back into the realm of fear. After Vecna they’d retired from hero duty, taken up a peaceful life, but that didn't mean they were free from it. Vex knew part of the reason her husband was so reluctant to stop working at night was from fear of the dreams that might come of him. Of Ripley, of the Briarwoods, of Orthax. Percy knew the same of her. Even now, five years on, he could still hear her calling out to her brother in her sleep. She was seeing him being disintegrated, seeing him fade away into the darkness forever, feeling the pain of it over and over again. They both dreamed of dragons, but so did most of Exandria. That fire was scorched into their very souls and would never leave them, it was why they wore their broaches, after all. They had passed through fire, but that did not mean it hadn't burnt them. With all of that, could they really knowingly bring a new life into this world? To risk having to see them suffer as they had? 

Once again, they’d spoken about it but there didn't seem to be any real answer. Yet the more time passed, the more fond they became of the idea of parenthood. Something inside Vex would twirl wildly whenever she saw new babies out in the street, and Percy found himself turning away from designing new weaponry and starting on toys instead. They decided in the end that they would leave it up to fate. They weren't going to start trying for a child, exactly, but they’d stop preventing one from happening. Vex ceased her daily cantrips, Percy stopped taking his potions and they continued on as normal. 

Of course, with their matching high libidos having not dropped an inch in six years of marriage, it shouldn't have been a surprise just how quickly it all came about. 

Vex had been desperate to tell Percy as soon as she’d realised what was going on, but had decided instead to keep it hidden until she was absolutely certain she was correct. She didn’t want to get his hopes up and then find out it was just a false alarm because she’d been eating too much chicken or whatever. She needed a proper, medical opinion from someone she trusted. Her first thought had been Pike, but her expertise learnt more towards war than life, yet she remembered a conversation they had had when she'd first admired that her and Percy were… entertaining… the idea of children. The temple of Sehanine in Emon had recently gone under a change of management, and the new clerics had a more practical attitude to what it meant to “hide lovers’ trysts”. They were teaching positive preventative measures, providing appropriate health education and giving much needed free support and advice to the mothers who could not afford it otherwise. According to Pike, she’d never met a group of people so knowledgeable on their specialist subject, and so willing to use that knowledge for the benefit of others. With no judgement as to  _ why _ it was needed. 

On their next trip to Emon, she took a moment to quickly stealth away from the main visiting party and followed the well known paths that lead to the temple district. Most of them had been rebuilt, but there were still the occasional splashes of burnt stone. But that was Emon to a T really. Back to something that one might consider normal, but still bearing its scars with wounded pride. 

She'd never actually been to the temple of Sehanine before. She'd briefly visited the one in Syngorn as part of various official duties both as a child of a diplomat, and later as a baroness of Whitestone. Yet this was the first time she’d seen the one in Emon, the city she’d used to call home.

“How can I help you deary?” Asked the Cleric at the door and Vex was surprised to see a dwarf looking up at her. Sehanine was an elvish goodness after all, and whilst there were no rules about who could worship a goddess, it seemed a little odd that a dwarf would chose to worship an elf given that they were so--

“--look I’ve not got all day to stand here and wait, so if you could be so kind as to get to the point of why you’re here that would be superb.” Said the dwarf, who wasn't even trying to hide her annoyance. She was still smiling though, and Vex could tell it was genuine. 

“Sorry, I simply wasn't expecting there to be any--” 

“--Any dwarves worshipping Sehanine? Yes, yes we get that a lot. If dwarves are so down to earth, why do they worship the moon! Well, when it comes to secrets and night time you have to be a bit down to earth in order to get anything done. Dreams are powerful things, but only if you act on them! And a dwarf knows how to act and no mistake.” By this point the cleric had taken her by the arm and was leading her further into the temple and leading her towards a side door. 

“Well Darling, I’m sorry for being so presumptive before. You’ve certainly changed my attitude towards Sehanine now so well done on that front, but if you could please tell me where it is you’re taking me I would greatly appreciate it.” Vex replied, trying to break free of the dwarf’s guiding arm. 

“There are two reasons people come to Sehanine. The first to join us in worship, the second to partake of our services. You clearly don’t give more than a fig's worth to our Moonweaver, so I’m going to assume you’re here because you're in the family way.” Said the dwarf briskly, 

“Well, I wouldn't say I don't care but--” 

“ _ \--But _ you bare the Mark of Pelor on your armour, and you don't get much different from the moon than the sun. So let's get you in a decent chair and we'll take a look at you and baby, shall we?”

“Look, I’m not even sure if there’s a is a baby that's what I wanted to--” 

“Maerlen!” She called out at last as she burst into the room, the door slamming on the wall “You for time to look at this young lady, sorry, what was your name again Love?” 

“Lady Vex'ahlia De Rolo, Baroness of the Third House of Whitestone and Grand Mistress of the Grey Hunt.” She replied on automatic. Percy had always used his names as an intimation, but to Vex they’d become a sort of mantra in times of confusion and uncertainty. 

“ _ Oooh _ , well it really does take all sorts, doesn't it? Let's call you Mrs De Rolo though and keep it at that, don't want to show up any of the other ladies here. I’m Elra, since you  _ didn't _ ask, nothing more, nothing less. What's the point of having a name longer than your beard anyway?” Vex opened her mouth to respond but was interrupted again as Elra continues to search for her companion “Come on, where is that woman, Maerlen! I’ve got a new one for you!”

“You know you can just come into the room to see me my dear, it's not against the rules.” Sighed another dwarf, dusting of her apron with a put upon expression. She reminded her somewhat of Cassandra. As with all dwarves, there was a natural stockiness to her, but there was still a delicate elegance to the way Maerlon held herself. It was a contrast to Elra’s sturdier and plumper appearance, and it was even reflected in their beards. Maerlon’s was dark grey and neatly pulled into a single braid at the chin, Elra’s a giant bushy mess streaked with brown and white. Standing side by side, she could see clearly now that Elra was short even by dwarven standards, with being Maerlon a good head and a half taller than her. They made for quite the pair.

“Yes but I’m about to go do the rounds and this one needs looking to.” Elra continued, as though stating the obvious “I’ve got Mrs Greenbeard to see to and you know what those Half-orcs are like. I can't be late on that one now, or I’ll have to take my axe along with me and then where would we be?” 

Maerlen sighed again, though her smile was fond enough “Very well, of you trot. I’ll see you at dinner. If Mrs Stormborn gives you anymore of that cake she makes, be sure to save some for me this time.” 

“Like I’d ever forget to do so.” Said Elra in mock hurt, before going to peck Maerlen on the cheek and left Vex standing in the middle of the corridor. 

“I do apologize for my wife.” said Maerlen addressing Vex at last “She grew up in the back streets you might say, and so never really developed a fondness for civility over practically.” 

“And you’re so very different are you?” Replied Vex, following the cleric down the corridor and into what seemed to be a waiting area. 

“Some would say we are very different yes, I’m better at keeping my temper and hiding my manner when needed, but that doesn't mean I show less value in honesty.”

“Strange value set when you serve the goddess of mystery.” said Vex shrewdly, immediately regretting her words when she remembered that she actually needed the help from these dwarves, yet Maerlen responded only with a chuckle. 

“There’s a time and a place for mysteries, and sometimes the greatest ones of all are the ones hidden amongst the truth we tell. Now then, take a seat with the other ladies and we’ll call you when it’s your time.” 

Vex thanked the cleric and looked around for somewhere appropriate to sit. It was towards the end of the work day now, and the room was filled with expectant mothers who looked completely rushed off their feet and simply glad of having a chance to sit down. There were children running around being watched by weary eyes as eager young women got sage advice from those who were already battle worn with experience. It was as though all of Emon was represented in one room, there were half-orcs talking with dwarves about the best way to make your baby grow strong; halflings and elves comparing birthing techniques and even a few dragonborn, of whom Vex had never given much consideration to in that regards….  Most of the women were smiling as they rubbed at their bellies, but there were a few dotted here and there who looked withdrawn and distanced from it all. Some had lots of children with them already, others had simply come alone, or else with a concerned partner in toe. 

One girl in particular caught Vex’s eye. She was human, and couldn’t have been older than nineteen. She had sat herself apart from the rest of the crowd, and instead of clutching her belly was hanging onto dear life at her necklace. Vec recognised that fear, it was the same look she’d had when they faced off against Vecna that first time. It didn’t matter how prepared she’d felt going in, when it all got out of hand she’d been acting on instinct alone and she was forced to watch as everyone she cared about seemed to fall down before her eyes with no idea of what to do beyond pray that something would happen, some divine power would come to their aid at the last minute and save them all. 

She quietly slipped into the seat next to her, smiling slightly in a welcome, but there was no response. The girl was so wrapped up in her thoughts, she didn’t even seem to notice her presence. Vex glanced over at her to try and glean what information she could from her appearance, her innate curiosity getting the better of her again. There was not a lot to go on, though that in itself said a lot. The necklace was buried so deep into her hand that it was unclear what it actually was. The gold chain was fake, browning where it met her neck, but no doubt it was pretty enough when new. Her clothes were simple, but neat, and had been repaired several times over with precise stitches. Her fingers were callused and dry (as were everyone who had to work for a living) but particularly so around her thumb and forefinger. Some sort of seamstress then. Vex also noticed no wedding band on her finger, nor any other sign of betrothal. There were no braids in her hair, or bands around her wrists, nothing at all. A terrified seamstress, waiting all alone to see the clerics who specialized in childbirth, and in how to prevent those births from ever happening. 

It must have been similar to what her own mother had gone through. Yet when Vex and her brother were born there were no freely available spells or potions available to deal with this kind of scenario. She wondered, not for the first time, what might have happened if they had existed. Would she and her brother been born at all? Would that have been the better choice for their mother? What sort of life she could have lived without them to hold her back? Perhaps she’d have gone on to marry for love, moved away from the village before Thordak’s attack and been spared from that pain. Maybe she’d have still kept them and everything would have stayed the same. There was no knowing either way. Yet, Vex wished with all her heart, as she sat looking at this young girl barely old enough to step out on her own, that Elaina had had the  _ choice _ at least. 

She gently reached out her hand and quietly offered it to the girl. Her eyes snapped to where it lay on her knee and then back up into Vex’s eyes. Tentatively, she reached out and grasped it tightly. Vex squeezed it back in response and they sat there in silence once again, lost to their thoughts. 

She wondered about how Percy was going to react to the news, whether good or bad. She’d let him know that she’d come here either way, but she wished it was going to be positive. Going though this had only made her more certain that this was the right choice to make. She wanted a family of their own again. She tried hard not to think of her brother as well, but that was impossible. She thought of the uncle he could have been, the advice he’d be giving her at this moment, the life that he could have lived had he been given a different choice. Maybe there would have been nieces and nephews for her children to play with, with druid flowers in their hair and scraped up knees from climbing trees. Her brain raced around in a tangle of emotions, always trying to remind herself that this could all be for nothing. She’d skipped her period before, when hungry or stressed or just as an effect of her Cantrips. Her spare hand reached up to her necklace that contained Trinket, and she too clung to it as tightly as she could. This could all be nothing, it was probably nothing, she shouldn’t get her hopes up that--

“Miss Greyward, we’re available to see you now,” called a soft voice, an elf this time. Vex’s silent companion seemed to suddenly jerk into life, her panic stronger than ever. She stood up abruptly as if the chair was suddenly on fire, quavering on the spot. She still had Vex’s hand held tightly, the knuckles of her own turning white the harder she gripped onto it. 

“You’re alright,” whispered Vex “you’re going to be fine.” 

The girl gulped and let go of her, moving forward on her own. Her legs were clearly still shaking, but there was a steely determination in her eyes that spoke of true strength. The kind of strength that only comes when the world has already spat you out and you’ve nowhere else to go. 

“Mrs De Rolo, it’s your turn now,” called Maerlen, and it was Vex’s turn to be brave. She held her head high as she walked past the rows of waiting women, ignoring their whispers of recognition at her name. Maerlen let her into the room and closed the door behind her, blocking out all noise from the outside world. 

It was all pretty basic set up all in all, she mused as she removed her armour. It was all very sterile looking, with a few unknown medical tools put out onto side tables that she couldn’t thathom. The set up reminded her slightly of Percy’s workshop (though it lacked the smell of gunpowder and fumes) and that relaxed her somewhat. There were a few obvious differences of course, whilst Percy had certainly been known to sleep in his workshop, it had never (to her knowledge) contained a bed with concerning looking stirrups at the end. Nor, she realised as she was lain onto said bed by the cleric, a mural on the ceiling. 

It was a beautiful painting of the night sky in Emon, the moon shining bright above all else, as though the paint had been enchanted to do so, though she could not sense any actual magic. The longer she looked, the more was revealed and somewhere in the swirling night sky she saw the face of Sehanine herself. She was smiling warmly, a mischievous twinkle in her eye, as though she knew exactly what you secrets were and approved of them wholeheartedly. It was the face of a friend, rather than a deity, and reminded her somewhat of Sarenrae in that sense. Champion of the mighty Pelor Vex’ahlia may be, but she still held a deep affection for the goddess who’d bought her back to life on two occasions now, four if you included the times Percival had been saved. 

All throughout this she allowed Maerlen to prod and poke at her, the dwarf’s solid hands surprisingly relaxing on her belly. She let the peace of it wash over her, only speaking to answering Maerlen’s occasional question. When all was done at last, she thanked the cleric and set about putting her armour back on, leaving the straps a little looser than before. She wasn’t really sure why she still wore the thick dragon hide armour, but Tary had made it for her, and it was good to feel as though she had him close by during this time. Plus she did look frickin’ badass in it.  Still, maybe it was time to fully put aside that part of her life for now, and focus on her duties in Whitestone… 

The streets were starting to fill up with people out celebrating the end of the day with loud music and glasses of ale that might help them forget their worries until the morning. There were a few faces she recognised perhaps, but not nearly as many as she would have when this really was her home. She didn’t belong here anymore, and there was no reason why she should. She popped trinket out of her necklace, and used her last spell of the day to fill him in on all that had happened whilst they made their way back to Greyskull Keep. It was appropriate, really, that the most important news of her life would be shared in the place where she’d perhaps first known true happiness.  

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The dwarves in this are actually just the mums of my own DnD character. They're inspired by Sister Julienne and Sister Evangelina from Call The Midwife. The stuff with Sehanine was all part of her backstory, and I've just transported it all into Tal'dorei.


	2. Chapter 2

Percy might not have seen the moment that Vex’ahlia had slipped away, but he’d certainly noted her absence. It would seem the Baroness of Whitestone was not quite as eager to put aside the rogue as she might have pretended. Still, lying came as easily to Percy as it ever had, and he’d been able to come up with some level of nonsense to convince the council of Tal’dorei that his wife was away on important business that would benefit them all in the long term. It really didn’t matter to him what the truth of the matter was, it could be that she just fancied a walk with Trinket through their old haunts, or that she wanted to go back to the keep and get an early night; if it made her happy then he didn’t mind a bit of deception. 

There had been something bothering her of late though. He perhaps had a decent guess as to what it might be, but it was still only a guess and his guesses had been wrong on numerous occasions, though of course he would never admit that publicly. He couldn’t  _ force _ her into telling him anything though, and so he kept his theories to himself for a little while longer. In all honesty, he was worried that saying it all out loud would only jinx it, making it never came to pass. Because by Pelor’s light he wanted this. It was a hopeful, beautiful desperation that he’d not felt before. It had the same intensity his need for revenge had, yet this time it was for something that would actually bring  _ goodness _ into the world for a change.  It was fueled on by all the miraculous events that had happened to him since the day he’d met Vex’ahlia. Getting to see her smile for the first time, hearing her laugh, fighting by her side against dragons and demons and gods, and finding out that she actually returned his feelings so strongly that it could bring him back from the dead. He felt as though all the darkness he’d put into this world, through his inventions and his connection with Orthax, should have prevented him from earning any more favours from the gods, but what was the point in having a brother-in-law who was in permanent service to the goddess of fate, if you couldn’t pray for the strings be tied in your favour just one more time? Even if he knew he didn’t deserve it. 

He’d returned to the keep, tired but assured that the proposed secured trade route between Emon and Whitestone would  _ actually _ be secure, and was relieved to find Vex’ahlia settled down in their room and waiting for his return. She was sitting with her feet tucked up underneath her, Trinket lounging by her side and chewing on something unrecognizable but presumably not deadly.  

“Hello Darling,” she smiled, looking up from her book with a casual air “busy day at work?”

“Exhausting,” he responded, hanging his coat up and making his way over to kiss her on the cheek. “So much better for seeing you again though.”

“Well obviously.” She grinned, leaning into the kiss

“What did you actually get up to today then?” He asked, perching on the arm of her chair. “Your absence was noted by many, though you’ll be pleased to hear, seen by no one.”

“I’m sorry for leaving you like that Darling, you’re so much better at all that building and planning stuff than I am, I thought I might as well just leave you to it.”

“Well that is true,” he considered “however you know I am nowhere near as magnificent a negotiator as you are. Without a haggler we’d be in terrible trouble. We might even be forced to pay full price!”

“Perish the thought!” She blanched, still plagued by the memory of how much she’d paid for the book on the Raven Queen “I promise you, that when it comes to the gold I will be there taking centre stage. So long as it’s within the next ten months, because I’m afraid after that I am going to be quite pre-occupied.” 

“Oh, and why is that? Do you have plans for Harvest’s Rise already?”

“I think we both do,” she grinned again, her eyes dancing. He heard Trinket give a little huff that he’d learnt meant he was exasperated with Vex’s teasing. It was a “just let it out already!” noise. He’d actually heard it a lot when they were still dancing around each other, which made a lot of things make sense now he’d had time to think about it. The clogs in Percy’s mind began to twirl again, but he tried to keep them in check. 

“Vex’ahlia…”

“Percival?”

“Where did you  _ really _ go today?” 

“Popped in on the temple of Sehanine, as per Pike’s suggestion last time we saw her.” He could tell she was aiming for casual, but her dazzling smile was letting the illusion go completely. The new information was making his brain spin faster and faster as he pieced it all together. 

“Vex’ahlia, are you telling me…”

“According to the Clerics -- wonderful people by the way, we should look at making improvements to her temple back home to copy them-- anyway, really there’s nothing to worry about because all three of us are healthy and hearty considering we’re four months down the line already.” 

“You’re four, you’re four...” he was correct! He’d been right! He’d been doing the maths for a while and he was certain that they’d not woken to bloodied sheets in that amount of time but there were always things that could influence that sort of thing; but once again Percivial Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III had been correct! He’d never been happier to be so. Yet all he seemed to be able to say was: “Four! Four months! Ten more to go?!” 

“Yes,” she laughed, grabbing him by the arm as he seemed the threaten to fall off the chair completely “I’m four months pregnant.”

“Pregnant!” He felt punch drunk, his smile felt larger than his whole face and he could swear that his wife had never looked as beautiful as she did in that moment. He didn’t think he could possibly be more in love with her, yet clearly that hadn’t been true. He gave up attempting to find words and instead let out a series of cackling shouts of joy that were usually reserved for when he’d seen his inventions working for the first time. He launched his arms towards Vex and clung to her tightly, almost toppling them over and onto a perturbed looking Trinket. 

She laughed again as she let him pull her to her feet, where he promptly swept her up into his arms and twirled her around like they were smitten teenagers. He set her down quickly though, his back making it clear that he’d never been strong enough to keep that kind of thing up for long, and instead grabbed her by the face and kissed her as hard as he could. She replied in equal enthusiasm, pulling him closer towards her and letting the kiss get sloppy and heated. Percy always got lost in Vex’s kisses, he could swear there was a healing power to them as his mind went blank save for all sense of her. Then something she’d said earlier came back to him and he pulled away again, ignoring Vex’s whimper of annoyance and Trinket’s huff of gratitude. 

“Did you say the  _ three _ of you are doing well?” 

Her ridiculous grin seemed to spread a little wider. 

  
“Oh for sake of the Gods, my beautiful Sixth Shining Star of Pelor,” he chuckled, shaking his head “only  _ you _ could get a buy-one-get-one-free deal on your own children.”  

**Author's Note:**

> Enjoyed this? Let me know via Kudos/Comments or on Tumblr where I'm Mrsmarymorstan =)


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